So we've received our sample ballot from the Collier County Supervisor of Elections, but with Election Day now less than a month away, we're all wanting to learn more about the candidates and the issues we'll be voting on on Nov. 2.

From the public education perspective, three Collier County School Board members will be elected on that date, and on the issues side of the world, Amendment 8 appears on the ballot. It deals with the class size amendment approved by voters back in 2002. But there are other candidates and other issues — a bunch of them.

We turn this column over to the local League of Women Voters president, Lydia Galton. She is better equipped to deliver this pre-election message.

"This year's election season is shaping up to be one of the most exciting and unusual in Florida's political history. Exciting battles between veteran candidates and newcomers are being waged," Galton said. "On Nov. 2, you will have the obligation to vote for a new governor and lieutenant governor, an attorney general, a secretary of agriculture, a chief financial officer, and a state representative for the state of Florida; on the federal level you will select a new senator and a congressional representative; on the local level you will vote for three School Board members and, if you live in District 4, a new Collier County commissioner, and many other local offices.

"And don't ignore the amendments! They could have more of an impact on Florida than any individual elected to office. If you want to find out more about the amendments, please look for the rebroadcast of the Amendment Forum, scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 12, on cable channels 97 and 99 (the Collier County Government Channel and the Education Channel, Comcast cable 99), or go to www.lwvcc.org for a webcast of the event and a link to the League of Women Voters of Florida Voters Guide.

"Democracy is a participatory sport. If you don't work out, get good coaching, practice, and show up at the contest, you can't win. Vote on Nov. 2!"

We also want you to know that the Naples Daily News and yhe Education Foundation of Collier County will be co-hosting a School Board Candidate Forum to be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 13. The forum will be available as a live video stream at www.naplesnews.com. And we'll have replays of it on the Education Channel, Comcast cable 99, and online at www.collierschools.com. A schedule of replay times and dates will be available there as well. As is our policy, we will replay both forums several times during the course of the weeks leading up to Election Day.